Windshield heater



Feb. 13,1934. G. Y. LAucHlN wINDsHIELb HEATER `Filed Aug. '7, 1953 @Aww-JW Patentecl Feb. 13, 1.92.34 l

f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE X 1,947,013 n WiNDsHiELD HEATER' George Y. Lauchin, Milwaukee, Wis. Application August 7, 1933.. serial No. 683,995

2 claims. (o1. 1525o) 'I'his linvention appertains to motor vehicles the wiper blade taken on the line 3 3 of .Figand more particularly to wipers for the Windure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows. shields thereof. A Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of In the use of ordinary wipers for windshields the wiper blade showing the means carried there- 5 of automobiles, the same are not effective in by forpermitting the same to be detachably cold Weather in View of the fact that therain ,connected with the conventional wiper arms. orsnow, as the case may be, tends to freeze Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein 0n the windshield and cannot be removed by similar reference characters designate the corthe wiper, which results in imperfect vision for responding parts throughout the several views, l0 the driver. the letterAgenerally indicates my improved wind- 5; vIt is therefore one of the salient objects of Shield Wiper blade Which comprises an elongated my invention to provide 'a windshield wiper havmetal casing 0r housing 5. Any desired type 0f ing an electric heating element incorporated metal can be utilized and the same is preferably therewith and which can be brought into play treated in dilerent manners so as to enhance the 5 when necessary or desirable, the heating element appearance thereOf. It functioning to melt; the snow or ice so that the As shown the metal casing or housing 5 emwiper can effectively clear the Windshield bodies parallel side walls 6 and 7 connected by a Another important object 0f my invention is front wall 8. The side walls adjacent to the opthe provision of a, windshield wiper having the pesite ends 0f the housing 0r Casing are pressed i wiper blade thereon in the form of a, housing inwardly in relatively close position, 'as indicated 75 I0r casing for receiving the electric. heating' eieby the reference character 8. The pressed-in mentwith the rubber wiping members suri-0und portions 8 of the side walls 6 and 7 .electively ing the element for forming a substantially air- Close the end Walls 0f the housng 01 Casln tight connection with the windshield, whereby Arrenged Wlthm ehe housing er easmg 1s e' f the 'effectiveness of the heating element is inelempmg bleek 9'Wh1eh-1s also PFeferably formed Si sured for melting the ice or snow from sheet metal. This clamping block 9 em A' further important object of my invention is the provision -of 'novel-means for mounting the heating element within the wiper blade and novel means for detachably holding the rubber nnrrblse llflubcaigggrgmsgu sired number of plies and their inner longitudinal readily removed when the same become nop edges are preferably folded over or flanged as erative all, :sli thatitl shiutlrcllers 115 formeilonktlge sidl 2 w an o eA c amping oc wi 90 A.sm1 further object. n.15, Invention 1s to effectively engage and hold the same, it being provlde an Improve?! mdshleld Wlper of the' obvious that the wiping members are placed beabOVe Character, Whlch Wlu be durable and eftween the inner'. faces of the Walls 6 and 7 of cient in use one thatwm b e Simple and easy the housing or casing 5 and the Walls 10 and 11 to manufacture, and one which can be placed of thelamping block 9 The clamping block 95 P011 the market at e' reasoneble cestcan beremovably held in position by means of Wlth these and Other ObJetS 111 VIEW *he fastening tous 16, which bolts extend through invention consists in the novel construction, arthe outer Wan 3 of the housing'and the inner rangement and formetlen 0f' parte as Wm be connecting wall 12 of the clamping block. The hereinafter more specically described, claimed ends of the rubber wiping members can be in.. m) ind illustrated in the aCeOIIlDaIlyng drawing, in serted between the compressed portions 8' of the' which drawingl- Y side walls 6 and 7 of said casing, which likewise Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a windshield closes the ends of the housing. i viper blade constructed in accordance with my The clamping block also carries and houses nvention. the electric resistance and heating element 17, 1;;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section which can be in the nature of a coil. The ophrough the same taken substantially on the line posite terminals of the heating coil 17 are pro- `2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the vided respectively with hooks 18 and 19. VThe rrows. hook 18 is adapted to engage an eye bolt 20 car- Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through ried by a block of insulation 21 anchored in the 110 serves as means for firmly holding the rubber wiping members l13 in position. These wiping ge members 13 may be of a single ply or of any de- 23 are folded over the top of the block.

and 1l of said clamping These ears can be formed on the side walls 10 block. The hook 19 is 24 formed in wings the side walls 10 extended through openings 25 which are folded back from and l1 of said clamping block.

Electrically connected with the eye bolt 20 is an electric feed wire 26, which can be connected with one terminal of the storage battery of the automobile in any preferred way. The other terminal of the heating unit is electrically connected with the clamping block and consequently, the same is grounded with the housing or casing 5, which is in turn grounded with the frame of the automobile through the medium of the wiper arm 2'7, illustrated in Figure `2. of the drawing.

Any desired type of switch (not shown) can be incorporated in the length of the feed wire 26 for controlling theflow of current to the said heating element 1'7. II"he switch can be disposed at any preferred point, which may be convenient to the driver of the vehicle.

Secured tothe housing or bolts 15 is a coupling member which the wiper arm 27 can be detachably. connected with the wiper blade. This coupling member 28 is of a universal connection, so that the blade can be utilized with various types of Wiper arms now found on the market.

In use of my improved windshield wiper, as the blade is swept across the Windshield by the wiper arm 27, the rubber wiper members 13 function to clean the Windshield of the rain Water, as the same is deposited on the windshield. In extreme cold weather where the rain or snow tends to freeze on the windshield, the heating element 1'7 can be placed in circuit with the battery by means of the switch heretofore referred to and the heating element will function to melt .the snow and ice, so that the same can be removed by the rubber wiper members 13.

By referring to Figures 1 and 3, it can be seen that the heating element is confined between the rubber wiper members 13 and as these members form a substantially completely surround the heating element (both at the ends and sides) and engage the windshield with considerable pressure, a complete housing is formed for said heating element. Consequently, the heat from said resistance element is retained within the housing or casing 5 and this heat is impressed on the windshieldfwhich will quickly melt the snow and ice.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple Aand durable means for clearing a Windshield in inclement weather both during the summer and winter seasons.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim'as new isz- 1. In a windshield wiper, a wiper blade includwalls being compressed adjacent v ends of the body into relative close position whereby to form a housing open at its inner face only, wiper members disposed in close engagement with the inside walls of thebody and projecting beyond the free longitudinal edges of the same, and a clamping block removably held between said side walls for holding the wiper members in position against accidental displacement.

2. In a windshield wiper, a blade including a body having spaced parallel side walls and a 135 connecting outer all, the ends of the side walls being compressed intol relative close position to closed housing, wiper members disposed between the side walls in engagement with the inner faces thereof and projectn; ing beyond the free longitudinal edges of the side walls, a hollow clamping .block received within the Vbody and engaging the inner faces of the wiper members for holding the same against accidental displacement, means detachably connecting the holding block to the body, a strip of insulation secured to the holding block at one end thereof, an eye bolt connected to said strip of insulation, bent back apertured wings formed on the holding block, an electric heating resistance l; coil disposed within the body having hooks on the terminals thereof engaging the eye bolt and the apertured wings, and an electric feed wire electrically connected with the eye bolt.

GEORGE Y. LAUCHIN. 1 

